Though the top prize may have eluded Wolverine football in 2016, the props have not.
Earlier this week, it was announced in an online newsletter that Bayfield head coach Gary Heide was ColoradoPreps.com's choice as Class 2A Coach-of-the-Year.
"In naming our top coaches, we consider state championship winning teams," read the publication, presumably overseen by CP guru Kevin Shaffer, "but prefer to look for coaches who have turned around a program or put together a surprising campaign."
And the selection of Heide apparently came down to the fact that BHS advanced as deep into the state playoffs as it did, hoping to defend the 2015 state championship after filling numerous roster spots left open by graduation earlier this year.
"There were many good choices here including Clint Buderus of La Junta and James Canaday of Weld Central," the newsletter continued. "Buderus led the Tigers to their first football crown since 1959 and Canaday guided the Rebels into the playoffs after several frustrating seasons. We went with Heide as he had the Wolverines back in the championship mix despite losing nine quality seniors from his state championship team. Bayfield led La Junta late in the semifinal contest before falling short on the road."
With Bayfield finishing 9-3 overall this fall, Heide now stands 42-13 after five seasons-four ending in the postseason-at the talented program's helm.
ColoradoPreps.com also saluted Genoa-Hugo's Kenny Book in Class A (6-man), Sargent's Trevan Pepper in Class A (8-man), Peyton's Richard Deems in 1A, Mead's Jason Klatt in 3A, Loveland's Wayne McGinn in 4A and Centennial Eaglecrest's Mike Schmidt in 5A.
Schmidt's Raptors (11-1) lost in the 5A Playoffs' quarterfinals, while McGinn's Indians went 9-1 but did not qualify for postseason play. Klatt's Mavericks, based outside of Longmont, finished 9-4 after falling to eventual 3A State Champions Pueblo East in the semifinals, having survived to see that stage as the bracket's 11-seed.
PHS went 10-1 but lost in the 1A Playoffs' quarterfinals, SHS finished 11-1 after a loss in the 8-man Playoffs' semis, and the G-H Pirates went 6-3 after losing in the 6-man Playoffs' opening Round-of-16.
